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Four out of five major U.S. companies offer their employees cash incentives in a bid to spur them to exercise and eat more healthily. However, experts say that most could be deploying those incentives more effectively. Workers respond better to the chance of winning a large amount than they do to the guaranteed payment of a smaller amount, so companies can get more bang for their buck by running lotteries open only to workers who complete health-risk assessments.

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Too many bosses treat employees like children who need to be constantly supervised, scolded and cajoled, says Sabine Heller, CEO of A Small World. It's better to treat workers like adults, giving them freedom and then holding them accountable. "I empower people. I promote people. I give them a lot of leeway. At the end of the day, I look at results, and that's it," Heller says.

More than 8 out of 10 "non-desk" workers -- deliverymen, sales staffers, technicians and the like -- say they feel cut off from the companies they work for, and that they don't get enough information or feedback from their bosses. That's a big problem, says consultant Elizabeth Cogswell Baskin, because such workers are usually companies' public face. "You can spend millions building a brand through advertising and marketing, but a few bad customer experiences are enough to blow it -- especially if they go viral," Baskin says.

Offering financial bonuses to workers might seem like a no-brainer, but cash incentives often backfire, argues S. Chris Edmonds. "People can easily see that the incentives reward the result, not the 'right ways to get there.' So, they take shortcuts and take the money," he writes.

About 80% of major U.S. companies offer their employees cash incentives to encourage them to exercise and eat more healthily. However, experts say that most could be deploying those incentives more effectively. Workers respond better to the chance of winning a large amount than they do to the guaranteed payment of a smaller amount, so companies can get more bang for their buck by running lotteries open only to workers who complete health-risk assessments, a study from early last year says.